Jail and caning for Indian after attempted rape

Jail, caning is a common punishment in Singapore for sexual offenses (Library image)

An Indian national has been sentenced to four years in jail and four strokes of the cane after being found guilty of attempting to rape in Singapore.

His childhood friend had sex with a former maid at Choa Chu Kang Park one Sunday evening.

On seeing her partially dressed, construction worker Daler Singh became aroused and wanted to have sex with her too.

After the Indonesian tourist twice said no, the Indian national attempted to rape her. Yesterday, Singh, now 40, was jailed for four years and nine months and ordered to receive four strokes of the cane after pleading guilty in May to attempted rape.

The court heard that, at around 8pm on Jan 24 last year, the woman went to the park with a construction worker, Mr Jagraj Singh, 33, whom she had met earlier through a friend. She was then 29 and had previously worked here.

At the park, she met Daler Singh, who had grown up with Mr Jagraj Singh in the same village in India. He was with his friends and she had not met them before. About 10 minutes after meeting them, she went with Mr Jagraj Singh to a secluded grass patch nearby and they had consensual sex.

When they were done, Daler Singh went over to pass them some tissue paper. He became sexually aroused when he saw the partially dressed woman. He asked her for sex but she declined.

The trio then went to a nearby pavilion to share some fruits. About 15 minutes later, the woman and Mr Jagraj Singh went back to the grass patch. Mr Jagraj Singh then returned to the pavilion.

The woman had just finished dressing when Daler Singh approached her and repeated his request for sex. Again, she declined.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sruthi Boppana said that as she was about to leave, he caught hold of her and carried her to a nearby grass patch.

He attempted to have sex with her despite her protests. He walked away from the crying woman about 10 minutes later. She went to another pavilion and was still sobbing when Mr Jagraj Singh went up to her. She asked him why he did not stop the accused.

She walked away and got the help of a passer-by who alerted the police. Two days later, Daler Singh was arrested at Ama Keng Hostel near Lim Chu Kang Road.

DPP Sruthi urged District Judge Imran Abdul Hamid to jail Daler Singh for at least five years with caning, stressing that he had brazenly tried to rape the woman in a public park.

In mitigation, lawyer Suresh Damodara, who was assigned to the case under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, asked for a sentence of less than four years’ jail and four strokes. – Straits Times–

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